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United States Patent |
5,564,206
|
Ruvang
|
October 15, 1996
|
Self-adjusting tooth/adapter connection system for material displacement
apparatus
Abstract
An excavation tooth point longitudinally extending along an axis and having
a pocket area extending inwardly through a rear end thereof is telescoped
onto a nose portion of an adapter structure by inserting the nose portion
into the tooth point pocket area. The inserted nose portion has a tapered
side opening therein that is positioned between a corresponding pair of
similarly tapered tooth side wall openings. To removably couple the tooth
point to the adapter nose an elongated, wedge shaped connector member is
inserted, small end first, through the generally aligned tooth and adapter
openings. A bolt is then passed through a central opening in a flat spring
member and tightened into a threaded axial opening in the small connector
member end. The tightening of the bolt causes tapered side surfaces of the
connector member to engage correspondingly tapered side surfaces of the
tooth point and adapter openings in a manner axially tightening the tooth
onto the adapter nose, and also longitudinally bends the originally
straight spring member against an external side surface portion of the
tooth point. The bent spring member exerts a longitudinal force on the
connector member to thereby cause it to resiliently hold the tooth point
in an axially tightened orientation on the adapter nose, and automatically
tighten the tooth further onto the adapter nose in response to
tooth/adapter interface wear that would otherwise cause undesirable "play"
between the tooth point and the adapter nose portion.
Inventors:
|
Ruvang; John A. (Carrollton, TX)
|
Assignee:
|
GH Hensley Industries, Inc. (Dallas, TX)
|
Appl. No.:
|
556701 |
Filed:
|
November 13, 1995 |
Current U.S. Class: |
37/458; 37/455; 37/456; 37/457; 411/368; 411/544 |
Intern'l Class: |
E02F 009/28 |
Field of Search: |
37/458,455,456,457
411/368,147,955,544
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
943775 | Dec., 1909 | Exton et al.
| |
1021135 | Mar., 1912 | Clark.
| |
1188480 | Jun., 1916 | Pemberton.
| |
1548374 | Aug., 1925 | Mullally.
| |
1571782 | Feb., 1926 | Andrews | 37/455.
|
1787695 | Jan., 1931 | McKee | 37/455.
|
1870044 | Aug., 1932 | Fellmeth | 37/455.
|
1917431 | Jul., 1933 | Clark.
| |
1992591 | Feb., 1935 | Whisler | 37/456.
|
2181675 | Nov., 1939 | Watson | 37/191.
|
2688475 | Sep., 1954 | Small | 37/456.
|
2702490 | Feb., 1955 | Launder | 85/8.
|
5205057 | Apr., 1993 | Garman | 37/458.
|
5272824 | Dec., 1993 | Cornelius | 37/458.
|
5410826 | May., 1995 | Immel et al. | 37/455.
|
5452529 | Sep., 1995 | Neuenfeldt et al. | 37/455.
|
Primary Examiner: Reese; Randolph A.
Assistant Examiner: Beach; Thomas A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Konneker & Smith
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A material displacement tooth and adapter assembly comprising:
an adapter structure having a base section with a tapered nose portion
projecting outwardly therefrom along a first axis, said nose portion
having a tapered connector opening extending therethrough in a direction
transverse to said first axis;
a replaceable tooth point slidably and releasably telescoped on said nose
portion and engaging it along a tapered interface area which, in response
to wear thereof, permits said tooth point to be slidably moved in a
tightening direction toward said base section, said tooth point having an
opposed pair of tapered side wall connector openings positioned on
opposite sides of and generally aligned with said nose portion connector
opening; and
self-tightening means, responsive to wear of said interface area, for
automatically creating movement of said tooth point in said tightening
direction, said self-tightening means including:
an elongated, generally wedge-shaped connector member longitudinally
extending through the aligned tooth point and nose portion connector
openings and slidably bearing on oppositely facing interior surface
portions thereof, said connector member having a first end and a second
end smaller than said first end and spaced apart therefrom in a first
direction, said second connector member end having an internally threaded
opening extending longitudinally thereinto,
force exerting means, removably secured to said second end of said
connector member, for continuously exerting a resilient force on said
connector member in said first direction in a manner causing it to urge
said tooth point in said tightening direction, said force exerting means
including a bolt threaded into said internally threaded opening of second
connector member and tightened relative thereto about an axis parallel to
the length of said connector member, said bolt having a head portion
disposed externally of said tooth point and facing an exterior portion
thereof, said force exerting means further including an elongated flat
spring member captively retained on said bolt and being resiliently
deformed between said head portion of said bolt and said exterior surface
portion of said tooth portion
said tooth point having a concave outer side surface through which said
bolt inwardly extends,
said flat spring member having a central opening through which said bolt
extends, and
said flat spring member being longitudinally bent by said bolt head portion
against said concave outer side surface.
2. The tooth and adapter assembly of claim 1 wherein:
said tooth point is a replaceable excavation tooth point.
3. The tooth and adapter assembly of claim 1, wherein:
said interface area includes two generally planar portions positioned on
opposite sides of and essentially parallel to said first axis, said
generally planar portions being operative, in response to forcible axial
removal of said tooth point from said nose portion, to maintain the
removal direction of said tooth point generally parallel to said first
axis.
4. Material displacement apparatus comprising:
a replaceable tooth point having a front end, a rear end, an adapter nose
pocket extending forwardly along an axis through said rear end and
circumscribed by a laterally outer wall portion of said tooth point, and
an aligned pair of tapered connector openings formed through opposed
sections of said laterally outer wall portion;
an adapter having a forwardly projecting nose portion removably receivable
in said adapter nose pocket and engageable with the interior surface
thereof along an interface area having oppositely facing tapered portions,
said tooth point and said adapter being relatively configured in a manner
permitting rearward axial tightening movement of said tooth point relative
to said nose portion in response to tooth point/adapter nose portion wear
along said tapered interface area portions, said nose portion having a
tapered connector opening extending transversely therethrough which is
positionable between and generally alignable with said tooth point
connector openings; and
self-adjusting connector apparatus for releasably retaining said adapter
nose portion within said tooth point pocket and exerting a continuous,
rearward axial tightening force on said tooth point so that operating wear
on said opposite tapered portions of said interface area responsively
creates rearward tightening movement of said tooth point along said nose
portion, said connector apparatus including:
an elongated connector member having a first end, a smaller second end, and
longitudinally tapered opposite side surfaces extending between said first
and second ends, said connector member being longitudinally insertable,
second end first, in an insertion direction into the aligned tapered
connector openings in said tooth point and adapter nose portion in a
manner causing said tapered opposite side surfaces of said connector
member to complementarily and slidably engage opposing surface portions of
said tapered connector openings in said tooth point and adapter nose
portions,
a resiliently deformable spring member, and
a fastening member securable to said spring member and threadably
engageable with said second end of said connector member, said fastening
member being tightenable onto said connector member to deform said spring
member against said tooth point and cause said spring member to exert, via
said fastening member, a longitudinal biasing force in said insertion
direction on said fastening member,
said second end of said connector member having an internally threaded
opening extending longitudinally thereinto,
said fastening member being a bolt having a head portion and being
threadable into said internally threaded opening, and
said spring member being a flat spring member engageable by said bolt and
resiliently compressible between said head portion thereof and an exterior
surface portion of said tooth when said bolt is operatively tightened into
said internally threaded opening, said spring member having an elongated
configuration and a central opening therein through which said bolt may be
extended before being operatively tightened into said internally threaded
opening, and
said tooth point having a concave outer side surface portion against which
said spring member may be longitudinally bent against by said bolt head
portion when said bolt is operatively tightened into said internally
threaded opening in said connector member.
5. The material displacement apparatus of claim 4 wherein:
said tooth point is a replaceable excavation tooth point.
6. The material displacement apparatus of claim 4 wherein:
said interface area has oppositely disposed surface portions positioned on
opposite sides of and extending parallel to said axis to thereby prevent
pivoting of said tooth point about an axis perpendicular to said tooth
point axis during removal of said tooth point from said nose portion.
7. A material displacement tooth and adapter assembly comprising:
an adapter structure having a base section with a tapered nose portion
projecting outwardly therefrom along a first axis, said nose portion
having a tapered connector opening extending therethrough in a direction
transverse to said first axis;
a replaceable tooth point slidably and releasably telescoped on said nose
portion and engaging it along a tapered interface area which, in response
to wear thereof, permits said tooth point to be slidably moved in a
tightening direction toward said base section, said tooth point having an
opposed pair of tapered side wall connector openings positioned on
opposite sides of and generally aligned with said nose portion connector
opening, said tooth point having a concave outer side surface portion; and
self-tightening means, responsive to wear of said interface area, for
automatically creating movement of said tooth point in said tightening
direction, said self-tightening means including:
an elongated, generally wedge-shaped connector member longitudinally
extending through the aligned tooth point and nose portion connector
openings and slidably bearing on oppositely facing interior surface
portions thereof,
a force exerting member extending inwardly through said concave outer side
surface portion of said tooth point and secured to said connector member,
said force exerting member having an outer end portion disposed outwardly
of said concave outer side surface portion, and
an elongated flat spring member having a longitudinally intermediate
portion engaged by outer end portion of said force exerting member, said
elongated flat spring member being resiliently deformed against said
concave outer side surface by said outer end portion of said force
exerting member and exerting a resilient, outwardly directed force on said
force exerting member in a manner causing said connector member to urge
said tooth point in said tightening direction thereof.
8. The tooth and adapter assembly of claim 7 wherein:
said tooth point is a replaceable excavation tooth point.
9. The tooth and adapter assembly of claim 7 wherein:
said interface area includes two generally planar portions positioned on
opposite sides of and essentially parallel to said first axis, said
generally planar portions being operative, in response to forcible axial
removal of said tooth point from said nose portion, to maintain the
removal direction of said tooth point generally parallel to said first
axis.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to material displacement apparatus
and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to
apparatus for releasably coupling a replaceable excavation tooth point to
an associated adapter nose structure.
A variety of types of material displacement apparatus are provided with
replaceable portions that are removably carried by larger base structures
and come into abrasive, wearing contact with the material being displaced.
For example, excavating tooth assemblies provided on digging equipment
such as excavating buckets or the like typically comprise a relatively
massive adapter portion which is suitably anchored to the forward bucket
lip and has a reduced cross-section, forwardly projecting nose portion,
and a replaceable tooth point having formed through a rear end thereof a
pocket opening that releasably receives the adapter nose. To captively
retain the point on the adapter nose, aligned transverse openings are
formed through these interengageable elements adjacent the rear end of the
point, and a suitable connector structure is driven into and forcibly
retained within the aligned openings to releasably anchor the replaceable
tooth point on its associated adapter nose portion.
These connector structures adapted to be driven into the aligned tooth
point and adapter nose openings typically come in two primary forms--(1)
wedge and spool connector sets, and (2) flex pin connectors. A wedge and
spool connector set comprises a tapered spool portion which is initially
placed in the aligned tooth and adapter nose openings, and a tapered wedge
portion which is subsequently driven into the openings, against the spool
portion, to jam the structure in place within the openings in a manner
exerting high rigid retention forces on the interior opening surfaces and
press the nose portion into a tight fitting engagement with the tooth
socket.
Very high drive-in and knock-out forces are required to insert and later
remove the steel wedge and typically require a two man effort to pound the
wedge in and out--one man holding a removal tool against an end of the
wedge, and the other man pounding on the removal tool with a sledge
hammer. This creates a safety hazard due to the possibility of flying
metal slivers and/or the second man hitting the first man instead of the
removal tool with the sledge hammer. Additionally, wear between the
tooth/adapter nose surface interface during excavation use of the tooth
tends to loosen the tight fit of the wedge/spool structure within the
tooth and adapter nose openings, thereby permitting the wedge/spool
structure to fall out of the openings and thus permitting the tooth to
fall off the adapter nose.
Flex pin structures typically comprise two elongated metal members held in
a spaced apart, side-by-side orientation by an elastomeric material bonded
therebetween. The flex pin structure is longitudinally driven into the
tooth and adapter nose openings to cause the elastomeric material to be
compressed and resiliently force the metal members against the nose and
tooth opening surfaces to retain the connector structure in place within
the openings and resiliently press the adapter nose portion into tight
fitting engagement with the interior surface of the tooth socket.
Flex pins also have their disadvantages. For example, compared to
wedge/spool structures they have a substantially lower in-place retention
force. Additionally, reverse loading on the tooth creates a gap in the
tooth and adapter nose openings through which dirt can enter the tooth
pocket and undesirably accelerate wear at the tooth/adapter nose surface
interface which correspondingly loosens the connector retention force.
Further, the elastomeric materials typically used in flex pin connectors
are unavoidably subject to deterioration from hot, cold and acidic
operating environments. Moreover, in both wedge-and-spool and flex pin
connector structures relatively precise manufacturing dimensional
tolerances are required in the tooth point and adapter nose portions to
accommodate the installation of their associated connector structures.
It can be seen from the foregoing that it would be desirable to provide
improved excavating tooth connector apparatus that eliminates or at least
substantially reduces the above-mentioned problems, limitations and
disadvantages associated with conventional excavating tooth and other
material displacement equipment connector apparatus of the general type
described above. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to
provide such improved connector apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In carrying out principles of the present invention, in accordance with a
preferred embodiment thereof, a specially designed, self-tightening
material displacement tooth and adapter assembly is provided. The assembly
basically comprises an adapter structure, a replaceable tooth point, and
self-tightening means.
The adapter structure has a base section with a tapered nose portion
projecting outwardly therefrom along a first axis, the nose portion having
a tapered connector opening extending therethrough in a direction
transverse to the first axis.
The replaceable tooth point, representatively an excavation tooth point, is
slidably releasably telescoped on the nose portion and engages it along a
tapered interface area which, in response to wear thereof, permits the
tooth point to be slidably moved in a tightening direction toward the base
section. The tooth point has an opposed pair of tapered side wall
connector openings positioned on opposite sides of and generally aligned
with the nose portion connector opening.
The self-tightening means are responsive to wear of the tooth point/nose
portion interface area and are automatically operative to create movement
of the tooth point in the tightening direction thereof. The
self-tightening means include an elongated, generally wedge-shaped
connector member longitudinally extending through the aligned tooth point
and nose portion connector openings and slidably bearing on oppositely
facing interior surface portions thereof. The connector member has a first
end and a smaller second end spaced apart in a first direction from the
first end.
Also forming a portion of the self-tightening means are force exerting
means, removably secured to the second connector member end, for
continuously exerting a resilient force on the connector member in the
first direction in a manner causing it to urge the tooth point in the
tightening direction thereof.
In a preferred embodiment thereof, the force exerting means include a bolt
which is coaxially threaded into an internally threaded opening
longitudinally extending into the second end of the connector member. The
bolt extends through a central opening in an elongated flat spring member
which is longitudinally and resiliently bent, by a head portion of the
bolt, against a concavely curved exterior side surface portion of the
tooth point. As tooth point/nose portion interface wear occurs during use
of the assembly, the loosening of the tooth/adapter fit permits the tooth
point to move along the nose portion toward the adapter base section. As
this interface area loosening occurs, the bent spring member resiliently
moves toward its originally straight configuration to thereby axially move
the connector member and cause it to rampingly force the tooth point in a
retightening direction toward the adapter base section.
According to another feature of the present invention, the interface area
between the tooth point and the adapter nose has, in addition to the
previously mentioned tapered portions, opposite surface portions
positioned on opposite sides of and extending generally parallel to the
tooth point axis. These parallel interface surface portions advantageously
function to assure that if the connector member is unintentionally
dislodged during use of the assembly, and the tooth point forcibly pulled
off the adapter nose, the tooth point removal direction is essentially
parallel to the tooth point axis, thereby preventing the tooth point from
being rotated, and potentially damaging the adapter nose, as the tooth
point is forced off the adapter nose.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partially phantomed side elevational view of an excavation
tooth/adapter nose assembly releasably coupled by a specially designed
self-adjusting connection system embodying principles of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the assembly taken along line 2--2
of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a partially phantomed partial top plan view of the assembly; and
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the assembly taken along line 4--4
of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the present invention provides, as
subsequently described in detail herein, connection apparatus for
removably joining a tooth point 10 to an associated adapter nose 12 for
use in a material displacement operation such as an earth excavation task.
Removable tooth point 10 has an elongated, tapered body extending along a
longitudinal axis A and having a pointed outer end 14; a wider inner end
16; a pocket area 18 extending from the inner end 16 into the interior of
the tooth point 10; top and bottom sides 20,22; and left and right sides
24,26. Adapter nose 12 is configured to be complementarily and removably
received in the tooth pocket area 18 and projects outwardly from a
suitable support lip structure 28 such as that extending along the bottom
side of an earth excavation bucket.
As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the tooth point 10 has, adjacent its inner
end 16, a tapered connection opening 30 extending between its opposite
sides 24 and 26 and intersecting its internal pocket area 18. Opening 30
tapers inwardly toward the tooth side 24 as indicated. A similarly tapered
connection opening 32 is formed in the adapter nose 12. When the adapter
nose 12 is operatively received in the tooth pocket 18, the adapter nose
opening 32 is communicated with opposite ends of the tooth connection
opening 30 but is slightly offset therefrom toward the inner end 16 of the
tooth point 10
The connector apparatus of the present invention has three parts--a flat,
wedge shaped connector member 34; a threaded bolt member 36; and an
elongated rectangular flat adjusting spring member 38. Connector member 34
has a relatively wide outer end 40, a relatively narrow inner end 42, and
an internally threaded opening 44 extending inwardly through the inner end
42. Bolt 36 has an enlarged head portion 46, and the elongated body of the
bolt 36 is configured to be passed through a central opening 38a in the
flat spring member 38 as best illustrated in FIG. 4.
To removably and releasably couple the telescoped tooth point 10 and the
adapter nose 12, the wedge-shaped connector member 34 is inserted end 42
first into the tapered tooth and adapter openings 30,32 through the side
26 of the tooth 10, and the inner end of the bolt 36 is inserted into the
other end of the tooth opening 30 and tightened into the connector member
end opening 44 as best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. As the bolt 36 is
tightened into the connector wedge opening 44 the connector member 34 is
drawn toward the side 24 of the tooth 10, thereby forcing the tooth 10
toward the lip 28 and longitudinally "tightening" the tooth 10 against the
adapter nose 12 received therein.
Additionally, the tightening of the bolt 36 into the connector member
opening 44 longitudinally and resiliently bends the flat spring 38 (see
FIG. 4) from its original straight orientation inwardly against a concave
portion 24a of the outer tooth point side 24. As the surface interface
area between the interior tooth pocket surface and the external adapter
nose surface begins to wear, the tooth 10 tends to become progressively
looser on the adapter nose 12. As this occurs, the resiliently deformed
spring 38 automatically pulls the connector wedge member 12 inwardly by
longitudinally straightening and thereby pulling the bolt 36 to the right
as viewed in FIG. 4. This inward movement of the connector member 34
(downwardly as viewed in FIG. 2) rightwardly drives the tooth 10 on the
adapter nose 12 to longitudinally "retighten" the tooth on the adapter
nose and automatically compensate for operational wear at their surface
interface areas.
The connector system 34,36,38 provides several advantages over conventional
wedge and spool connectors and resilient flex pin connector structures.
First, the connector system of this invention is a non-impact
system--i.e., it does not have to be driven into place using a sledge
hammer or the like. Thus it is easier and safer to install. Second, it
advantageously creates rigid resistance to undesirable movement of the
tooth 10 axially toward and away from the adapter lip 28. Third, it
provides for substantial increases in allowable fit/shift movement between
the tooth and the adapter. Fourth, compared to resilient flex pin
connector structures using various elastomeric materials therein, the
connector system of the present invention (being all metal) is essentially
impervious to high temperature, low temperature and acidic operating
conditions.
It should be noted that the previously described self-tightening action, in
which driven rightward axial movement of the tooth 10 along the nose
portion 12 toward the support lip structure 28 occurs due to the automatic
action of the connector system 34,36 and 38, is permitted (as best
illustrated in FIG. 2) by the various axial gaps G.sub.1 between the left
or forward end of the nose portion 12 and the inner end of the tooth
pocket 18; G.sub.2 between the forward or left side surface of the tapered
opening 30; and the gaps G.sub.3 between facing interior tooth and adapter
surface portions of the assembly disposed rightwardly or rearwardly of the
connector system 34,36,38. As will be appreciated, these gaps are
generally as shown in FIG. 2 when the tooth point 10 is originally
installed on the adapter nose portion 12, and horizontally decrease in
width as tooth/adapter nose wear occurs and the tooth point 10 is
automatically tightened rightwardly onto the nose portion 12 by the action
of the connector structure 34,36,38.
An additional feature of the overall tooth/adapter/connector system
assembly of the present invention is that, as best shown in FIG. 2, the
telescoped tooth 10 and adapter nose portion 12 engage along a pair of
spaced apart elongated surface interface areas I.sub.1 and I.sub.2 that
are parallel to one another as well as being parallel to the longitudinal
tooth axis A. This geometric feature of the invention advantageously
eliminates bending stresses placed on the connector member 34, causing it
to be loaded essentially entirely in shear in response to operational
loads tending to pull the tooth 10 off the adapter nose 12.
Moreover, in the event that the connector member 34 somehow becomes
dislodged from the tooth/adapter interior during use of the equipment, the
tooth comes essentially straight off of the adapter (being guided in such
essentially straight direction by the interface areas I.sub.1 and
I.sub.2), thereby preventing the tooth from pivoting relative to the
adapter and damaging it.
As can readily be seen from the foregoing, the connector system 34,36,38 of
the present invention is of a simple, rugged construction, is relatively
inexpensive to fabricate, and is quite simple, easy and safe to install in
and remove from the tooth/adapter assembly. Additionally, the built-in
wear compensation and tightening feature of the connector system is
substantially greater than that of the typical flex pin connector, and
permits a satisfactory installation fit between a new tooth point and
either an essentially unworn adapter nose portion or a partially worn
adapter nose portion.
The foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as being
given by way of illustration and example only, the spirit and scope of the
present invention being limited solely by the appended claims.
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